Finding new friend from the world wide is definitely an extraordinary experience. An experience that’s not necessarily felt by everyone. Like getting to know new people, approaching wild animal also needs to be a little careful and get used to it.
Approaching squirrel may not be an easy thing but it is fun thing too. Given that squirrel have agility, approaching them will be a bit challenging because of their speed. In addition, their lives spent on trees will certainly be a challenge for you to approach them. You have to go through all the challenges if you want to approach them. Approaching them might require extra energy, but as long as you can enjoy the process, you will find an unforgettable new experience.
The Step
Here are some ways to approach wild squirrel
- Feed them
Because of the speed and life often spent on tree, it is a little bit impossible to approach squirrel easily. In fact, they rarely go down to the surface of the land that reached by human. If the food supply on the tree runs out, it might make them go down of the tree to find falling food. Most squirrels on the surface have problem with their food supply. You can make this opportunity as a tool to get close to them. Feeding them in this situation will be very easy to make them believe in you. In addition, you also have to understand what food that can be consumed by squirrel. You might only know that they like beans, but do you know what kind of bean the squirrel likes? Give delicious bean like hazelnut for them to attract their attention. If you want more squirrels to approach, you can try to ‘pick up’ them. Put the beans on a tree that you can still reach so it would be very easily for you to approach them. If it’s the first time, don’t you dare to touching them. Squirrels are actually afraid of human. Touch them when it’s the first time close is a threat for them. Give them time to get used to your presence as their ‘feeding machine’ is recommended. This habit will make them automatically depend on you.
The Tips
Here is a view thing you need to do when you approaching wild squirrel
- Stay careful
Being careful is the key to dealing with wild animal. Although basically wild animal can be tamed, but it will take some time. With their speed, it is not impossible that squirrels will turn aggressive when facing you. You must stay calm when facing them but don’t forget to stay alert. Wild animal can do whatever they want regardless of who they are facing, especially if you are still interacting with them for the first time. The level of caution you put must be higher at this level.
- Don’t close with ‘unpredictable’ squirrel
When you have often feed squirrel and you often interact with them, then you will easily remember and recognize which squirrel you feed the most. You will certainly memorize how they usually behave when they are dealing with you. Start alert when squirrel that you feed frequently don’t behave as they normally do. Being aggressive and too friendly is one of indication that squirrel have contracted the rabies virus. Just get away when you meet a squirrel with such indications.
- Don’t grab them too strong
Even though squirrel is afraid of human, when they believe in you, you can touch and even hold them. Even though you can hold them, don’t you dare to turn them around. Although the response that squirrel will give is very funny when you lift them up high in the air, actually those funny faces indicate they are scared. This activity gives the squirrel a ‘like to fall’ sensation.
Wild animals are still wild animals. We need to be careful when approaching them. They may look funny and attractive, but we never know what they really feel. Not everything we see funny or interesting is the real thing.
Approaching a squirrel until you keep it at home isn’t a good idea. Some countries even consider raising squirrel at home is illegal. People who keep squirrel can be prosecuted for raising animal that shouldn’t be maintained.
You may only approach them. There is nothing wrong with giving them a meal. But you must remain to being careful because we will never know what will happen next. Approaching certainly must have a good goal. If there are squirrels who want to approach you, that squirrel believes in you. Don’t destroy their trust because maybe they can attack you.
Good luck while trying to approach your squirrel!